Drawbridge for sidewalks



(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

J. F. SCHULTZ. DRAWBRIDGE FOR SIDEWALKS, &c.

No; 479,533. Patented July 26, 1892..-

2 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. P. SCHULTZ. DRAWBRIDGE FOR SIDEWALKS, 8w.

Patented July 26, 1892.

June/M4307 TNE uonms FETEIIS 20-. mmmuma, wasumcruu, n. c.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. SCHULTZ, on BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

DRAWBRIDGE F'OR SIDEWALKS, ac.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,533, dated July 26, 1892.

Application filed January 25,1892. Serial No. 419,116. -(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. SCHULTZ, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Automatic Drawbridges for- Sidewalks, 850.; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

Whenever large quantities of heavy or bulky goods have to be delivered from warehouses or stores to wagons, or vice versa, across the sidewalks of populous cities, much discomfort and annoyance have hitherto been caused of necessity both to those who are handling the goods and to those who are obliged to pass along the sidewalks. In some places wagons are permitted to be backed up to the door of the store or warehouse, whilein other places this has come to be recognized as an unwarrantable interference with the rights of pedestrians, and such obstruction is forbidden by ordinance. It is but a slight improvement to permit planks or skids to be laid from the store-front to the wagon and to remain in position until the wagon is loaded or unloaded, while pedestrians are compelled to climb over the obstruction at the cost of much annoyance and at the risk of bruises or broken bones. On the other hand, where, as is often the case in low-lying districts along the water front, the store-floor is elevated more or less above the level of the sidewalk much delay and difficulty are occasioned by the necessity of lowering the goods to the sidewalk and then raising them to the level of the wagon or of the store-floor.

It is the object of my invention to overcome these difliculties as far as possible, and while providing a plank or skid over which the goods may be moved directly to or from the wagon at the same time to provide for the automatic elevation of this plank when not in actual use, so as to leave the passage-way between the store-front and the wagon entirely unobstructed.

Accordingly my invention consists in the automatic drawbridge hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is position as the porter approaches to pass from the store-front to the wagon and again to return to its normal vertical position as he retires. These means may be varied somewhat; but, as shown in the drawings,a foot-boardO is hinged at its rear end to the base A, as at c a, while a stout conical spring D is inter posed between the outer end of the footboard and the base-board. Arms E E are pivotally connected at one end to the baseboard and at the other end have a pivotal and slidi'n g connection with the bridge-piece, preferably by a rod c, which is carried by the outer ends of the arms and travels in a slot formed by a piece or pieces I) 19, secured to the under side of the bridge-piece B. Links 0,

attached to the foot-board C, engage with the under side of the arms E E and are preferably provided with small rollers or washers 0 so that the links may move freely. The outer end of the bridge B may be fitted with a hingedleg F, which when the bridge is down will assume a vertical position and may be used to support the outer end of the bridge when it does not rest upon the wagon.

The operation of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing. As the porter steps upon the foot-board C it will be depressed against the force of the spring D and the bridge will swing down from its vertical position until its outer end rests upon the wagon or is supported by the leg F. As he steps from the foot-board on his return the spring will raise the foot-board and through its connection with the bridge will cause the bridge to swing upward into its vertical position and leave an unobstructed passage between the store-front and the wagon.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of a base-board, a bridge connected thereto to swing in a vertical plane, a foot-board, means to elevate said foot-board, and connections between said foot-board and said bridge, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of a base-board, a bridge connected thereto to swing in a Vertical plane, a foot-board, a spring interposed between the base-board and the foot-board, arms pivotally connected to the base-board and having a sliding connection with the bridge, and links connecting the foot-board with the arms, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 15 name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN F. SCHULTZ. WVitnesses:

A. N. J ESBERA, A. WIDDER. 

